Ex Libris: The Art of Bookplates - Softcover

Martin J. Hopkinson

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0714126748 ISBN 13: 9780714126746

Publisher: British Museum Press, 2011

Synopsis

A bookplate, or Ex Libris, is a small print for pasting inside the cover of a book to express ownership. The first books were highly valuable and prestigious objects to own, hence the first bookplates usually incorporated the decorative coats of arms of the fabulously wealthy. By the late nineteenth century, bookplates had developed into a highly imaginative form of the engravers and printmakers art in miniature. This delightful book showcases bookplates drawn from the rich collections of the British Museum, including works created by some of the most talented artists of their day, such as Albrecht Du rer, Edward Burne-Jones, Aubrey Beardsley and Eric Gill. Equally it shows how the content of bookplates has evolved over the years to feature a vast range of allegory and symbolism often incorporating a pun on the owners name uniquely relevant to that individual. For example, the bookplate for a professor of Sanskrit features Hindu imagery, while a Venetian publisher is associated with a lion, the symbol of his city. Endlessly diverse, surprising and touching, this is a book that will be treasured by art-lovers and book-lovers alike.

About this title

About the Author:

Martin Hopkinson, formerly Curator of Prints at the Hunterian Art Gallery, University of Glasgow, is an art critic and writer.

Review:

“An excellent book...[showing] a diverse selection of bookplates from the collection of the British Library, some of which have never been reproduced before.”—John Dorfman, Art and Antiques (John Dorfman Arts and Antiques)

“Exquisite...In a year when we are contemplating the future of the printed word, a collection that celebrates the physical book and its connection to the reader is a particular treat.”—NPR.org (NPR.org)

“If there’s such a thing as bookplate porn, this gorgeous book is the ultimate.”—Sadie Stein, The Paris Review (Sadie Stein The Paris Review)

“I reckon that the plates in this slim, richly illustrated volume may inspire another resurgence — perhaps in digital form.”—Steven Heller, The New York Times Book Review (Steven Heller New York Times Book Review)

“An easy gift for any booklover on your list.”—Fine Books and Collections (Fine Books and Collections)

About this edition

• Publisher: British Museum Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0714126748
• ISBN 13: 9780714126746
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112